Russian army airborne troops have conducted military exercise in the Arctic region 3010132

Posted On
Wednesday, 30 October 2013 05:31

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Defence & Security News - Russia

Wednesday,
October 30, 2013 10:31 AM

Russian
army airborne troops have conducted military exercise in the Arctic region.

Russian
airborne assault forces and military transport aviation units have conducted
an exercise in the Arctic, a senior defense official said Tuesday, October
29, 2013. About 40 metric tons of various cargoes were airdropped from
two Il-76 aircraft, First Deputy Defense Minister Arkady Bakhin said.

Russian airborne troops on military exercises in the Russian Arctic region.

The
operation showed that Russian armed forces are ready to provide assistance
to Arctic expeditions, civilians and military units deployed in that region,
he said.

Russia has officially set a goal of deploying a combined arms force by
2020 to protect its political and economic interests in the Arctic, including
military, border and coastguard units.

Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said in December last year that Russia
risks losing its sovereignty by the mid-21st century if it does not assert
its national interests in the Arctic today.